Chocolaty Gingerbread People Cookie Mix

Total Time: 28 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 8 mins

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 2/3 cups flour
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Recipe

• 1 in a small bowl, stir together cocoa powder, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and cloves; set aside.
• 2 in a 1-quart jar layer ingredients in the following order: flour, brown sugar, packed down tightly with the back of a spoon; granulated sugar, and cocoa mixture. seal; store in a cool place, dry place for up to one month. makes enough mix to make about 40 cookies.
• 3 to make chocolaty gingerbread people:.
• 4 in a large bowl, beat 1/2 cup softened butter and 1/2 cup shortening with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. beat in 1 egg, 2 tablespoons molasses, 2 tablespoons water, and 1 teaspoon vanilla, scrapping side of bowl occasionally. beat in as much of the cookie mix from the jar as you can with the mixer. using a wooden spoon, stir in remaining cookie mix. divide dough in half. cover and chill for 3 hours or until dough is easy to handle.
• 5 preheat oven to 375°f.
• 6 on a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8 inch thickness. using floured 4 to 5 inch people cookie cutters, cut out dough. place cutouts 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. bake for 7-8 minutes or until edges are firm. transfer cookies to a wire rack; let cool. decorate as desired.